Pyrophoric lighter



Aug. 27, 1929;

Fig.1.

L. F. DOUGLASS 1,725,901

PYROPHORI'Q pr euma Filed Feb. 18. 1928 .1" \JK a l ("W l 52/ 19INVENTOR. am PEI/65MB ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT o FIc 4 won I. DOUGL'ASS, or MENLO PARK,cALrFoRNIA.

' rYnorHoIuc LIGHTER.

Application filed February ers embodying novel means for producing aflame.

An object of my invention is to provide a' suitable.

vide a pyrophoric llghter having novel' means for adjusting a fiintwhich may be used as a support for the lighter. I

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a pyrophoric lighter comprising myinvention; and

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents a casing having abottom 2 and a top 3. Extending vertically through the inside of thecasing from a point beneath the bottom 2- to the top 3, to which it isrigidly secured as by solder, is a tubular member 4, provided on itsinside surface with suitable threads within which a disc' 5 having itsedges threaded may be screwed.

Secured to the top 3 is a projecting lug 6, which is provided with anopening through which the body part of a pin 7 extends. Movably mountedon the pin 7 is a friction wheel 8 which has part of its circumferen--tial edge roughened and is mounted for plvotal movement in a planepassing longitudinally through the central part ofthe casing '1. Thecentral part of'the pin 7 is provided with a threaded opening withinwhich 'a screw Qis adapted to screw. Located in-' side the tubularmember 4 adjacent the'disc 5 is a spiral wire spring 10, the lower endof which rests against the disc 5. and theupper end of which pressesagainst a bar 11,

t of flintor. other suitable pyrophoric metal,

one end of which bar projects above. the end of the tubular'member .4and contacts ith the roughened segment of the friction The tubularmember 4 at its upper part is r1 idly secured to the top3, and the lowerof the same projects through an enlarged opening 12 located in thebottom 2.

This invention relates to pyrophoric light- 18,1928; Serial No. 255,334.

Sufficient clearance is provided between the edge of the opening 12 andthe sides of the tubular member 4 for the insertion of benzme or othersuitable inflammable fluid. The lower end of the --tubular member' l: isprovided on its outside surface with threads suitable for the screwingthereon of closing cap 13, the upwardly extending-flanged part of thesaid cap being adapted to fit tightly against the bottom 2 and preventthe evaporation and escape of the liquid fuel located inside the casing.Removably located within the tubular member 4 and extending upwardlytherein,

is a manipulating rod- 14;, the bottom end of' which is provided with anenlarged finger p1ece15 which serves as a stand for support ing thelighter as well as a means for adjusting the flint bar 11.

The manipulating rod 14 is provided with pronged parts 16 which maycontact with.

the inside surface of the'tubular 'member 4' and which are adapted tograsp the disc 5 when the finger piece 15' is turned. The disc 5 may bescrewed upwardly or downwardly inside the tubular member in such amanner as to cause the spring 10 to press more or less firmly againstthe bar 11.

Located adjacent the tubular member 4 is 1 a wick tube 17 carrying awick 18 which projects above the end of the wick tube and also extendsinside. the casing.

The side of the friction Wheel'8 nearest the headof the pin 7 is cutaway as at 19 and 20 to provide a square or 'pointed'edge" 21. Pivotallyattached at one of its ends to the inside surface of the projecting lug6, as by a pin 22, is a lever bar 23, the opposite end of the same beingnormally pressed upwardly by a spring pressed pin 24. The in 24 ex- Itends through the top 3 and is orced up wardly by a spring 25, which islocated in a closed cylindrical shaped casin 26.

The pointed edge 21 of the fribtion wheel 8 normally contacts with theupper edge of the lever bar 23 at a point to one side of the centralpart thereof, thereby allowing the spring pressed pin 24 to normallymaintain the free end of the lever bar above the top 3.

Secured to the friction wheel 8' is an arm 25 which normally lies in aplane parallel to the top 3 and whlch carries a hollow cap 26' adapted'to enclose the end of the Wi k 1.8.

The opposite side of the friction wheel is propresses upwardly againstthe pointed edge 21 of the friction w eel and serves to maintain thesaid friction wheel in a position to hold the closing cap in firmcontact with. the

wick tube 17.

To produce a spark for ignition of the wick 18, the finger piece 27 ispressed downwardly, thereby turning the friction wheel on its pivot sothat the roughened segment of the said wheel is made to rub on the flintbar 11 and make a spark'which ignites the said wick. By this operationthe cap 26 is moved upwardly to'uncover the end of the wick, therebyenabling the spark'to be thrown toward and against the said wick. Bypressing the cap 26 downwardly after it has once been raised the wickmay be again closed and the other parts of the friction wheel are alsoplaced in position for another operation. The inside of the casing isordinarily filled with absorbentcotton and the fuel for pro ducing theflame at the end of the wick is inserted inside the casing through theopening 12 upon the removal of the closing cap 13.

It is apparent to those skilled/in the art that various changes in theconstruction of my improved 'pyrophoric lighter may be made withoutdeparting from the .spirit of the invention. I therefore desire it-under' stood that the appended claim is to be considered as defining thelimits my invention may assume, and not the drawings or descriptionherein referred to.

Having described my invention, what I claimism a Ina pyrophoric lighter,the combination of 'a casing having a bottomand a top, the top having awick and a pyrophoric element projecting above the same, a frictionwheel pivotally mounted on the top having a segment thereof in contactwith thepyrophoric element and also atriangular shaped portion formedintegrally with the friction wheel, a

cap for enclosing the end of the wickcarried by the, friction wheel, apress member for rotating the friction wheel against the pyro-- phoricelement and for raising the cap above the wick, and means for normallymaintaining the cap-in an-enclosed position over the wick, which. saidmeans comprises a spring pressed bar pivotally mounted on the casing andin contact with a triangular shaped portion'of the friction wheel.

LEON F. DOUGLASS.

